Hazar State Nature Reserve (incl. Ogurjaly Sanctuary)

Strict state nature reserve (zapovednik) on the south-east coast of the Caspian Sea in Balkan Province; operating since 1932 (as the Esenguly Ornithological Reserve, now Hazar State Natural Reserve, per the official government portal), area ~2,690 km2. Ramsar wetland of international importance and on Turkmenistan's UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. The zapovednik regime imposes comprehensive prohibitions on hunting, fishing and resource extraction within its boundaries; the Caspian section holds valuable fish (beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, white salmon, herring, mullet) and the Red-Book Caspian seal. Public access and resource use (including fishing/spearfishing) are prohibited.